If your plan on getting a pair of Apple’s premium AirPods Max headphones, Apple’s revealed that an out-of-warranty battery replacement service for the $549 accessory is priced at $79.
According to the official AirPods Service and Repair webpage, your limited 1-year Apple warranty covers manufacturing defects with the battery and other issues but not batteries that wear down from normal use — no surprises here whatsoever. So if you purchase the new headphones and their batteries are acting up or hold less than 80 percent of the original capacity during the product’s first year, Apple will replace the batteries at no additional cost.
But if the batteries start exhibiting an issue that’s not covered by Apple’s limited warranty, you’ll need to pay $79 for an out-of-warranty battery replacement service. Battery life with these small wearable devices is always a concern, even more so considering the AirPods Max use non-replaceable batteries. That’s why it might be a sound idea to cough up an additional $59 for an extended AppleCare+ warranty for your $549 headphones.
With AppleCare+, you get extended coverage for up to two years from the original purchase date along with two incidents of accidental damage, each subject to an additional service fee of $29 plus applicable tax. But perhaps most importantly, AppleCare+ for AirPods Max provides you with a free battery replacement service should the battery retain less than eighty percent of its original capacity during the duration of the extended warranty period.
“If your product is covered by an AppleCare plan and the battery holds less than 80 percent of its original capacity, you will get battery service at no additional charge,” Apple notes.
Out-of-warranty fees are subject to tax and a shipping fee of $6.95.